BA Ancient History and Archaeology with Foundation Year

The BA Ancient History and Archaeology with Foundation Year at Birkbeck University of London is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the ancient world. The course covers a wide range of topics, including ancient civilizations, cultures, and societies in the Mediterranean and beyond. Students will learn about the political, social, and cultural history of the ancient world, as well as the methods and techniques used by archaeologists to uncover and interpret the material remains of the past. The foundation year is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the subjects they will study throughout their degree, including ancient languages, historiography, and research methods. Upon completion of the course, students will be well-equipped to pursue a career in ancient history or archaeology, or to continue their studies at the graduate level.

Additional Information

Students on this course will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, including the Birkbeck Archaeological Collection, which contains over 100,000 artifacts from around the world. The department also has strong links with museums and cultural institutions in London and beyond, providing students with opportunities for internships and work experience. Graduates of this course have gone on to pursue successful careers in fields such as museum curating, historical preservation, and academic research.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient World at Birkbeck University of London

Birkbeck University of London is a world-renowned institution for the study of ancient history and archaeology. The department has an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, with faculty members who are leading experts in their fields. Students on this course will have the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by some of the most knowledgeable and innovative scholars in the field. Additionally, Birkbeck's location in London provides students with unparalleled access to cultural institutions, museums, and historical sites that are essential for studying ancient history and archaeology.

Our BA Ancient History and Archaeology with Foundation Year allows you to combine and pursue your interests in the history and archaeology of the ancient world. We will equip you to study the Greek and Roman past through textual and archaeological evidence, from Greek pottery to Roman inscriptions, ancient cities to classical authors. You will acquire critical and analytical skills, utilizing the full range of evidence that survives from the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. You will study a broad chronological and geographical sweep, with topics including the rise of the Greek city-states, Classical Athens, the foundations of the Roman Empire, the transformation of the Roman Empire inLate Antiquity, and the Byzantine Empire from the foundation of Constantinople to the medieval period. The study of archaeology develops the ability to understand how people lived, acted, and thought in the past. You will learn the essential analytical techniques of archaeology to develop your understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in the interpretation of material remains. Practical archaeological experience is a key element of this degree. This course is ideal if you are interested in understanding the ancient past through peoples relationships with words, texts, objects, buildings, and places. We will give you access to a wide range of textual, graphical, and material evidence and develop your ability to interpret and process that data. We will also encourage you to question accepted histories, so you can construct and present convincing historical and archaeological arguments using texts, images, and material objects and remains as evidence.

112-128 points, A-levels: BBC-ABB, C or grade 4 GCSE-level English and mathematics